The West Virginia landscape has a beautiful way of signaling the changing seasons. Falling red, orange, and yellow leaves lay a soft, welcome blanket over the close of our inaugural First Touch season, bringing a busy and rewarding fall to a fitting end.
I am incredibly appreciative of the families who took a chance on such a unique developmental program. We stripped away the traditional recreational format of teams, scores, and standings. We removed goalkeepers for much of the season, replacing traditional goals and fields with smaller versions of both. We traded 7v7 for 3v3. We didn't assign positions or hold an end-of-season tournament.
Despite all these departures from the traditional format, the support and encouragement from our players and families never wavered. They embraced our vision and gave us the opportunity to prove what First Touch could be.
For more than 10 weeks, we've had the privilege of working with these amazing young players. Seeing them three days a week can make it difficult to recognize just how much they've grown over the course of a season. Progress happens gradually, often in small moments that are easy to overlook. But looking back, the growth is undeniable. Their confidence has increased, their understanding of the game has deepened, and they've begun building the technical foundation that will serve them for years to come.
Anyone familiar with athletics knows that learning doesn't stop when practice ends. Our goal was to create dynamic, fast-paced, and highly engaging training sessions that kids didn't want to leave. And we accomplished that. We encouraged players to practice at home, gave them drills and skills to work on, and watched as many took that initiative. They would arrive at the next session eager to show off something new they had learned!
A love for the game can be gained or lost through the experiences children have at practices and games. We understood that responsibility from the beginning. First Touch was designed to remove many of the pressures and distractions that can create undesirable playing environments, while giving young players more time on the ball, more opportunities to make decisions, and more confidence to get involved in every play.
We wanted to create an environment where effort mattered, mistakes were part of learning, and every child had the courage to try something new.
I believe we accomplished that this fall.
As the leaves settle and we close the book on our first season, I'm grateful for the trust our families placed in us, proud of the progress our players have made, and excited for what comes next.
I can't wait to see what spring holds for the Glacier, Alpine, and Thunder Wolves of First Touch!